The nuts glide effortlessly when unscrewed and the posts offer both banana clip as well as bare wire or spade connectors.īy default, the two sets of posts come bridged and removal requires that the bridges be bent slightly as the spade connectors on either end are narrow enough that they will not clear the threaded portion of the posts. The binding posts match the quality of the rest of the speaker with an alumium back plate and gold plated posts with black and red rings for easy indexing. One of the accompanying photos was taken at an angle so that you can see daylight through the gap between the plate and body of the speaker (the vent).Īt first glance, one might assume that the CE1TX was a simple 2-way design because of its appearance and two sets of binding posts marked ‘HF’ and “LF’ on the rear panel. This slot system allows for better bass depth that is usually found in ported designs without the loss of clarity, or the distortion that can be prevalent. The side panels feature large brushed aluminum plates that act as part of the ADS (Aero Dynamic Slot) porting system. The 2023 lineup includes the Reference One ($86,000 USD) and the less expensive Evolution series with models starting at $15,000 USD for the Micro Evolution One and the Compact Evolution One which retail for $32,500 USD that price does not include the mandatory stands which are an additional $2,500 USD. Having been fortunate enough to hear them with comparable electronics, the TAD R1 are still one of the best loudspeakers that I have ever listened to. The first three decades saw the manufacturer focus on the pro audio category and while the occasional pair would end up in a mastering engineer’s home system, there was never really a consumer version of their products.Īll of that began to change in 2007 with the TAD R1 Reference Loudspeakers at nearly $165,000 if we account for inflation over the last 16 years, the Reference One loudspeakers were beyond the financial means of most audiophiles with the exception of those putting together systems in the six figure range. There is also a rather substantial difference when it comes to pricing TAD’s products are featured in some of the top recording and editing studios in the world and command anywhere from $30,000 USD or more. Current TAD models are more akin to Honda’s F1 race car compared to the Honda Civic if we are being truthful when comparing Pioneer and TAD. Some have made the comparison that TAD’s current lineup represents Acura in the Honda hierarchy, but that is not a very accurate representation of the differences. Technical Audio Device Laboratories (TAD) has been in existence since the 1970s and this high-end offshoot of Pioneer has developed a global reputation for audio engineering excellence the products were originally designed for studio applications but once audiophiles were afforded the opportunity to experience them in home settings - the chase was certainly on. When TAD offered to send me the show pair to review, it felt like the winning Powerball ticket had fallen into my lap. Having just upgraded my digital front-end including a new dCS DAC and headphone amplifier, there was no chance that acquiring a pair was a possibility in the near future. Show in Costa Mesa was both exhilarating and depressing the sound quality in the rather noisy confines of a trade show was one of the best demonstrations I had experienced in many years. Listening to the TAD CE1TX Loudspeakers at the recent T.H.E.
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